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Every Batman That Matters, Ranked
Which Batman will rise?
Batman v Superman doesn't arrive until March 25. But it's never too early to get definitive: Which TV and movie Dark Knights have blown us away, and which should've stayed in their Bat Caves? Ben Affleck will don the cape for Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, due out in 2016. It's too soon to tell where he'll rank on this list, but let's hope the performance is more Gone Girl than Gigli. (Photo: Warner Brothers)
7. George Clooney
While Clooney may look debonair in a tux as Bruce Wayne, he certainly failed to pull off the bat suit. It's not that he's a bad actor. He's just bad at playing Batman. The only proof you need is Batman & Robin (1997), because it's the first and last time he'll ever play Gotham's hero. He doesn't even bother altering his voice when switching between his two personas. (Photo: Corbis)
6. Val Kilmer
6. It's not that he was horrible, it's just that he wasn't memorable. In 1995, the franchise took a tonal shift from Tim Burton's acid-trippy fun to Joel Schumacher's dark and ominous. Kilmer, for better or worse, had to go that way, too. The result: One of the least dynamic Batman performances. But maybe it's not all his fault. The script was pretty second rate, with lines like, "It's the car, right? Chicks dig the car." (Photo: Corbis)
5. Adam West
It's not his fault that he didn't have a brawnier costume ... or CGI ... or Michael Caine. And we are truly sorry he had to don blue eyebrows. But then again, this TV show (and 1966 movie) was created as pure comedy, and West knew exactly how to pour on the camp. (Photo: Corbis)
4. Will Arnett
Arnett's portrayal of a super smug, all-powerful Lego Batman in The Lego Movie (2014) was not only magical, but also hilarious. Through Arnett, the universally-loved Lego figure finally get the spotlight he deserved. (Photo: Fox Studios)
3. Christian Bale
When Christopher Nolan revamped the franchise in 2005, Bale became the perfect blend of terrifying, dangerous, whip-smart, and blue-blooded. Perhaps for the first time, we could see why the bad guys feared Gotham's Caped Crusader. Plus, he really nailed the mysterious voice, sounding nothing like Wayne (though some criticize him for sounding like a frog). Many modern fans consider him the all-time best; if not, he's certainly one of the best of the 21st century thus far. (Photo: Warner Brothers)
2. Michael Keaton
C'mon. He was the original modern Batman. Keaton's 1989 portrayal of the winged savior is noteworthy not only for his seen-it-all interpretation of the character (he was in his late 30s when he took the part), but also for his as his ability to pull off brooding, subtle and slightly broken, all in a single scene. His Wayne vs. Batman voices are also utterly convincing. (Photo: Corbis)
1. Kevin Conroy
As controversial as it may be to put an animated character in the No. 1 slot, hear us out: There seems to be a general consensus on who has voiced the best Batman ...and that's mid-1990s animated series star Conroy. There's something inherently emotional and visceral in Conroy's portrayal of the Dark Knight. Plus, Mask of the Phantasm is widely regarded as possibly THE best Batman story to ever to grace any screen. Conroy also voices Batman in the more recent video games. (Photo: Warner Brothers Animation)
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Batman v Superman doesn't arrive until March 25. But it's never too early to get definitive: Which TV and movie Dark Knights have blown us away, and which should've stayed in their Bat Caves? Ben Affleck will don the cape for Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, due out in 2016. It's too soon to tell where he'll rank on this list, but let's hope the performance is more Gone Girl than Gigli. (Photo: Warner Brothers)
7. George Clooney
While Clooney may look debonair in a tux as Bruce Wayne, he certainly failed to pull off the bat suit. It's not that he's a bad actor. He's just bad at playing Batman. The only proof you need is Batman & Robin (1997), because it's the first and last time he'll ever play Gotham's hero. He doesn't even bother altering his voice when switching between his two personas. (Photo: Corbis)
6. Val Kilmer
6. It's not that he was horrible, it's just that he wasn't memorable. In 1995, the franchise took a tonal shift from Tim Burton's acid-trippy fun to Joel Schumacher's dark and ominous. Kilmer, for better or worse, had to go that way, too. The result: One of the least dynamic Batman performances. But maybe it's not all his fault. The script was pretty second rate, with lines like, "It's the car, right? Chicks dig the car." (Photo: Corbis)
5. Adam West
It's not his fault that he didn't have a brawnier costume ... or CGI ... or Michael Caine. And we are truly sorry he had to don blue eyebrows. But then again, this TV show (and 1966 movie) was created as pure comedy, and West knew exactly how to pour on the camp. (Photo: Corbis)
4. Will Arnett
Arnett's portrayal of a super smug, all-powerful Lego Batman in The Lego Movie (2014) was not only magical, but also hilarious. Through Arnett, the universally-loved Lego figure finally get the spotlight he deserved. (Photo: Fox Studios)
3. Christian Bale
When Christopher Nolan revamped the franchise in 2005, Bale became the perfect blend of terrifying, dangerous, whip-smart, and blue-blooded. Perhaps for the first time, we could see why the bad guys feared Gotham's Caped Crusader. Plus, he really nailed the mysterious voice, sounding nothing like Wayne (though some criticize him for sounding like a frog). Many modern fans consider him the all-time best; if not, he's certainly one of the best of the 21st century thus far. (Photo: Warner Brothers)
2. Michael Keaton
C'mon. He was the original modern Batman. Keaton's 1989 portrayal of the winged savior is noteworthy not only for his seen-it-all interpretation of the character (he was in his late 30s when he took the part), but also for his as his ability to pull off brooding, subtle and slightly broken, all in a single scene. His Wayne vs. Batman voices are also utterly convincing. (Photo: Corbis)
1. Kevin Conroy
As controversial as it may be to put an animated character in the No. 1 slot, hear us out: There seems to be a general consensus on who has voiced the best Batman ...and that's mid-1990s animated series star Conroy. There's something inherently emotional and visceral in Conroy's portrayal of the Dark Knight. Plus, Mask of the Phantasm is widely regarded as possibly THE best Batman story to ever to grace any screen. Conroy also voices Batman in the more recent video games. (Photo: Warner Brothers Animation)
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